FILE – The March 5, 2013 file photo shows German Chancellor Angela Merkel presenting a tap-proof mobile phone of Blackberry at a booth of Secusmart during the opening round tour of the world’s largest computer expo CeBIT in Hannover. German Chancellor Angela Merkel complained to President Barack Obama on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013 after learning that U.S. intelligence may have targeted her mobile phone, and said that would be “a serious breach of trust” if confirmed, her government said.

BERLIN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel complained to President Barack Obama on Wednesday after learning that U.S. intelligence might have targeted her mobile phone, saying that would be “a serious breach of trust” if confirmed.

For its part, the White House denied that the U.S. is listening in on Merkel’s phone calls.

“The president assured the chancellor that the United States is not monitoring and will not monitor the communications of the chancellor,” said White House spokesman Jay Carney. “The United States greatly values our close cooperation with Germany on a broad range of shared security challenges.”

However, Carney did not say that U.S. had never monitored or obtained Merkel’s communications.

The German government said it responded after receiving “information that the chancellor’s cellphone may be monitored” by U.S. intelligence. It wouldn’t elaborate, but German news magazine Der Spiegel, which has published material from NSA leaker Edward Snowden, said its research triggered the response.

Merkel spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement the chancellor made clear to Obama in a phone call that “she views such practices, if the indications are confirmed, … as completely unacceptable.”

Merkel said among close partners such as Germany and the U.S., “there must not be such surveillance of a head of government’s communication,” Seibert said.

The White House has cited an ongoing review of how the U.S. gather intelligence in responding to similar spying concerns from France, Brazil and other countries.

U.S. allies knew Americans were spying on them, but they had no idea how much.

Merkel raised concerns over the electronic eavesdropping issue when Obama visited Germany in June, has demanded answers from the U.S. government and backed calls for greater European data protection. Wednesday’s statement was more sharply worded and appeared to reflect frustration over the answers provided by the U.S. government.

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